Over £10 million to be wagered on the Champions League Final

Over £10 million to be wagered on the Champions League Final William Hill predict that at least ten million pounds will be gambled on the outcome of the first all English club Champions League Final. "Getting an all English Final is some consolation for the fact that none of the home countries have made the Euro 2008 finals and we believe it will attract a record single club match betting turnover of at least £10million which will rival the Euro 2008 Final- and quite possibly beat it. Many European punters will be fascinated by the game and want to bet on it. It also kicks off at an eminently suitable time for punters and will receive saturation media coverage" said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe. "At the moment United are a much worse result for us than Chelsea but I shouldn't think there will be much in it by the time they kick off."

William Hill have slashed their odds for Avram Grant to win the double for Chelsea but depart the club before the first day of next season, from 33/1 to 10/1 - 'It would be surprising, but far from unthinkable' said Hill's spokesman Sharpe - and Grant is 5/4 still to be there on the opening day of the season with Hills who make him 4/7 to be gone. Hills make Benitez 2/5 still to be at Anfield on the first day of next season, 7/4 not to, while Sir Alex Ferguson is 1/12 still to be United boss and 6/1not to. Hills have opened a book on which of the 'Big Four' bosses will be the first to leave his club and make Avram Grant 8/11 favourite with Rafa Benitez 6/4; Arsene Wenger 12/1 and Alex Ferguson 14/1.

And Hills are betting on whether Frank Lampard, who scored the vital Chelsea penalty,will have moved on by the start of next season, offering 2/1 that he will have, 4/11 that he will not. Drogba is 4/11 to be gone by the start of the next campaign, 2/1 still to be there.Peter Crouch is 1/3 to leave Liverpool before next season, 9/4 to stay while Steven Gerrard is 6/1 to leave Anfield but 1/12 still to be a Red on the first day of the 2008/9 campaign.

Published on 05/01/2008